Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on March 31st, 2026

Rush's Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson opened Canada's Juno Awards on Mar. 29 with their first live performance alongside their new drummer, Anika Niles. In the spirit of new beginnings, Rush performed the song "Finding My Way," the first track on their 1974 debut Rush, which featured John Rutsey on drums in the studio, rather than the late Neil Peart, who didn't join the band until afterwards. The performance at Ontario's TD Coliseum marked the first time Lee and Lifeson have played as Rush since they wrapped their career-spanning "R40" farewell tour in 2015, playing 35 headline shows across North America, having formed over four decades prior. Throughout their performance, vintage footage of Rush with Peart, who died from brain cancer in early 2020, showed on screen. Anika Nilles, a German drummer, composer, and producer, has performed as Jeff Beck's drummer and has released four solo albums. Handling keyboard duties during the performance was The Who's Loren Gold. Rush has announced that they will be touring across the UK, Europe and South America in 2027, kicking off in Buenos Aires in January. So far, 24 shows in 13 countries have been confirmed, marking the first time the band has played in Europe since 2013, as well as 17 years since visiting South America. They are pegged as an '"Evening with Rush" event, and will see the band play two sets each night. Before that, Rush will be returning to the stage in North America for a "Fifty Something" tour with shows kicking off in June. A full list of 2027 dates can be viewed on Instagram. Meanwhile, Canada's favorite daughter Joni Mitchell reflected on how she built a new life "like a phoenix" in a poignant speech at the Junos on the same night. After Mitchell, 82, was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on behalf of the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS), the previously LA-based singer-songwriter noted she was "so glad" to be back in her homeland after living in the U.S. for "many, many years." Addressing PM Carney, the "The Circle Game" singer noted, "We are so lucky... We are so fortunate to have him... I'm living in the States, and you know what's happening there." Then she went on to reference her past health issues. I had a (brain) aneurysm, which changed my life - oddly, for the better," the 82-year-old continued. "I went into a coma, which helped me to quit smoking. And my house filled up with the most wonderful nurses. I was on the road with men for years and years; now I live with a house full of women... So, my life has changed for the better out of a catastrophe like a phoenix. Thank you very much for this honour." After receiving the prestigious prize, Mitchell joined fellow native Canadians Sarah McLachlan and Allison Russell for a rendition of her 1970 hit, "Big Yellow Taxi," amid a tribute medley. The Grammy Award-winning artist has made only a few public appearances since suffering a brain aneurysm rupture in March 2015. - New Musical Express/Music-News.com, 3/30/26...... The estate of Bob Marley has filed a lawsuit against the global cannabis company Tilray over what it claims are unpaid licensing fees for the deceased Jamaican music icon's official marijuana brand, Marley Natural. The suit, filed in Maryland on Mar. 27, alleges Tilray owes nearly $11.3 million for the use of Marley's name, image, likeness, signature and trademarks on Marley Natural cannabis products. Marley's estate accuses Tilray and its partners of "elaborate efforts to avoid paying" and a "scheme to defraud." The complaint seeks $11.3 million from Tilray for fraud and breach of contract, which they contend accounts for the $13 million in missing licensing fees, minus a $1.7 million settlement that Marley's heirs already obtained from a related subsidiary. Marley's estate, helmed by the late singer's daughter Cedella Marley, has been diligently working for decades to expand and market his legacy. The family's profile of businesses includes the Tuff Gong record label, music tech company House of Marley and Marley Coffee. - Billboard, 3/30/26...... As promised, Bruce Springsteen performed "Streets of Minneapolis" at the flagship No Kings rally in St. Paul, Minn., outside the State Capitol building on Mar. 28. Springsteen addressed an estimated crowd of more than 200,000 and delivered the third live performance of the protest anthem since its January release. Introduced to the stage by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, The Boss spoke at length before playing the song, honouring the state's resistance to Pres. Donald Trump's administration's Operation Metro Surge immigration enforcement campaign. "This past winter, federal troops brought death and terror to the streets of Minneapolis, but they picked the wrong city," he told the crowd. "The power and the solidarity of the people of Minneapolis and Minnesota was an inspiration to the entire country. Your strength and your commitment told us that this is still America, and this reactionary nightmare -- and these invasions of American cities -- will not stand. You gave us hope, you gave us courage." He went on to name the two Minneapolis residents, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, killed by ICE agents during the operation. The crowd then chanted "ICE out now" as Springsteen launched into the song. Springsteen wrote and recorded "Streets of Minneapolis" in the immediate aftermath of the shootings, releasing it within days. He debuted the song live on January 30 at a benefit concert at Minneapolis' First Avenue, and performed it a second time earlier this week at Democracy Now!'s 30th anniversary event in New York. The No Kings rally -- the third round of nationwide protests against the Trump administration -- drew millions of participants across more than 3,100 registered events in all 50 states. The St. Paul event served as the national flagship, with a bill that also included Joan Baez, Maggie Rogers, Jane Fonda, Tom Morello and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, among others. - Billboard, 3/29/26...... On Mar. 26 Paul McCartney announced a reflective new album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, inspired by his youth. McCartney's first release since 2020's McCartney III, the new album is his 18th studio effort and described in a press release as a look backward at the former Beatle's formative years, revisiting those youthful times that "shaped not only his life, but the very foundations of modern popular culture. In a career defined by timeless storytelling and unforgettable characters, Paul now tells the most personal story of all, his own. The Boys of Dungeon Lane is his most introspective album to date and takes the listener back to where it all began." "This is very much a memory song for me," Macca said in a statement. "The album title, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, comes from a lyric in this track. I was thinking just that, about the days I left behind and I do often wonder if I'm just writing about the past but then I think how can you write about anything else? It's just a lot of memories of Liverpool. It involves a bit in the middle about John and Forthlin Road which is the street I used to live in. Dungeon Lane is near there. I used to live in a place called Speke which is quite working class. We didn't have much at all but it didn't matter because all the people were great and you didn't notice you didn't have much." The LP was recorded with producer Andrew Watt (Elton John, Ozzy Osbourne) in bits in Los Angeles and Sussex, England between legs of McCartney's tours. In the spirit of his legendary 1970 debut solo album McCartney, Macca plays the majority of the instruments himself -- with the album credited entirely to himself. The Boys of Dungeon Lane is due out on May 29 through MPL/Capitol Records. McCartney has shared the new album's wistful first single, "Days We Left Behind," on YouTube. Two days after announcing the new LP, the legend played two intimate shows at LA's historic The Fonda venue in Hollywood on Mar. 28, with a second show VIP guest list that included Ringo Starr, Stevie Nicks, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish and Margot Robbie. For those who scored highly coveted tickets to the show at the cozy 1,200-person capacity theater, the music was a much-needed escape and salve. Playing a set heavy with Beatles and Wings classics, Sir Paul largely avoided politics aside from poking fun at Pres. Donald Trump's recent "Y.M.C.A." dance moves -- a moment that earned boos from the crowd, who had surrendered their phones before the show. McCartney's roster of Beatles classics included "Help!," "Something," "I've Just Seen a Face," and Fab Four political tracks "Revolution" -- a response to the fraught period of political protests in opposition of the Vietnam War -- and "Blackbird" -- a solemn acoustic track that McCartney wrote amid the 1960s civil rights movement in the US inspired by the Little Rock Nine. Many in the crowd -- which also included actors Steve Carrell, Laura Dern and Dakota Johnson among others -- sang and cried as McCartney played, particularly during "Hey Jude" and "Let It Be." Wings rockers during the two-hour set included "Band on the Run" and "Let Me Roll It," among many others. On Mar. 30, and perhaps due to the no-phone rule at the Fonda gig, McCartney's own Reddit account was banned. The thread in question has since been removed, although McCartney's Reddit account itself, thought to be run by his management team, has since been restored. - Billboard/CNN.com, 3/29/26...... Former Foreigner frontman Lou Gramm announced on Mar. 27 that he'll be playing selected dates in the US from May until October behind his third and latest solo LP, Released. After kicking off in Wabash, Ind., on May 9, the 2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee (as a member of Foreigner) will be co-headlining the Roanoke Festival in Virginia (5/22), then visit Stamford, Conn. (5/28), Lancaster, Penn. (5/30), Lexington, Ky. (6/6), St. Charles, Ill. (7/10), Layton, Ut. (8/13), Pine Bluff, Ariz. (8/28), and Carmel, Ind. (9/26) before wrapping in Missouri at the St. Charles Family Arena on Oct. 10. Gramm was a member of Foreigner during its key years between 1976 and 1990. He rejoined in 1992 but left again inn 2003, though he has made occasional appearances with the band. In addition to his work with Foreigner, the singer scored a top five hit in the U.S. in 1987 with his solo song, "Midnight Blue," followed in 1989 with "Just Between You and Me." - PennLive.com, 3/27/26..... U.K. hard-rock legends Deep Purple will be touring North America this summer and fall with opening acts Kansas and Jefferson Starship. Deep Purple are currently fronted by singer Ian Gillan, alongside bassist Roger Glover, drummer Ian Paice, keyboardist Don Airey and guitarist Simon McBride. In February, Deep Purple announced a hometown gig at the famed Royal Albert Hall venue in London on Nov. 25 of this year. The show is billed as a "one night only" event, following a concert at London's Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith the previous evening, Nov. 24. - Canoe.com, 3/30/26...... A new tribute album honoring the music of Tom Waits and his musician partner Kathleen Brennan, Where The Willow and the Dogwood Grow, was announced on Instagram on Mar. 27 and will feature contributions from the likes of Bruce Springsteen and Johnny Cash. Other artists from a wide variety of genres contributing include Marianne Faithfull (on "Strange Weather"), The Ramones ("I Don't Want To Grow Up"), Willie Nelson ("Picture In A Frame"), Alison Krauss and Robert Plant ("Trampled Rose"'), and Norah Jones ("The Long Way Home"). The LP opens with Springsteen and The E Street Band's 1981 live recording of "Jersey Girl" -- Waits' ode to Brennan from his 1980 album, Heartattack And Vine. Elsewhere on the tracklist is the late Cash's take on "Down There By The Train" from his acclaimed 1994 album, American Recordings. Folk legend Joan Baez's version of Waits and Brennan's anti-war track "Day After Tomorrow" -- from Waits' 2004 album Real Gone -- closes the new compilation. Created with the blessing, approval and involvement of Waits and Brennan, Where The Willow And The Dogwood Grow is due for release on May 29 via Ace Records. - NME, 3/27/26...... During a recent appearance on the Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware podcast, Chaka Khan said many of today's popstars are flaunting their bodies to overcompensate for a lack of talent. Khan, 73, was asked by the hosts about recent comments she made on The Breakfast Club podcast in which she said, "When we go on stage, we just sing. We don't need to do the bells and whistles. We don't need to show our bodies." "The game has changed because all bets are off," Khan told the Table Manners hosts. "These women are doing any and every dam thing on stage and trying to sing, too. And the ones who are doing the most physicalities, with their butts and stuff, and their body parts, are the ones that usually are compensating for what they don't have." Khan is currently touring the US with Patti LaBelle and Stephanie Mills. - Music-News.com, 3/28/26...... Ozzy Osbourne's daughter Kelly Osbourne has reportedly ended her engagement to Sid Wilson of the band Slipknot. Wilson proposed to Osbourne at Ozzy's final concert with Black Sabbath in Birmingham, England, last July, presenting her with a huge diamond ring. Kelly later revealed that she had "no clue" the moment was coming. Osbourne first met her now former partner 27 years ago. She was introduced to Sid when Slipknot toured with Ozzfest, the music festival founded by her parents. They welcomed their son, Sid, in 2022, and the family have since been living on a farm in Iowa in the US. Osbourne was last pictured with Wilson at the Grammy Awards in February and, since then, has only made public appearances with friends or her mother. - Music-News.com, 3/24/26...... Actress Eve Plumb, forever immortalized as the often-overlooked middle daughter Jan Brady on the classic 1969-1974 ABC sitcom The Brady Bunch, discussed her new memoir Happiness Included: Jan Brady and Beyond in an interview with Woman's World magazine. Plumb, 67, revealed that she enjoys keeping her private life out of the spotlight, and made it clear she has no desire to speak negatively about any of her castmates from The Brady Bunch, which has become a cultural touchstone and endures decades later through reruns and nostalgia, keeping its actors closely tied to their roles. "I wish more stuff had come up. I thought [writing the memoir] might bring some things back that I'd forgotten, but not a bit of it," said Plumb. "But the process itself was really wonderful. It was very gentle." Plumb, who was cast in the show at the tender age of 11, added, "As a public person, I've always wanted to keep certain things private. I didn't even want to tell people the name of my dog for a long time. You share so much of your life already." That sense of privacy shaped not only how she approached her personal life, but also how she chose to portray her time on set. Despite decades of curiosity about what really went on behind the scenes, Plumb resisted the temptation to revisit her past through a critical lens. "Part of this book was that I really didn't want to throw anybody under the bus not my castmates, not anyone. I had to tell the truth about a few things, but I was cloaking it, for their sake and for mine," she shared. "I think most of us realize there's no need," she said of the cast. "It doesn't look good on me to trash them in public, does it?" Instead, writing the book (with co-author Marcia Wilke) became an opportunity to reconnect with the positive moments that defined her experience as a young actor and beyond. "The process of writing the book offered something closer to reflection than revelation, like a therapy session where she didn't have to challenge me at all," she admitted. "I just got to talk about myself and the things that I remembered." Happiness Included: Jan Brady and Beyond is due Apr. 28. - People.com, 3/28/26...... Ross "The Boss" Friedman, a legendary rocker known for co-founding the proto-punk band The Dictators and later playing with the iconic metal band Manowar, died on Mar. 28 just weeks after he announced that he was battling ALS, which is commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease. He was 72. The Metal Hall of Fame issued a statement on Facebook announcing his passing. "It is with deep sadness that we confirm the passing of legendary guitarist, our dear friend, Metal Hall of Fame Inductee, and Global Metal Ambassador Ross "The Boss" Friedman." Ross was a pioneering force in both punk and heavy metal, best known as a founding member of The Dictators and Manowar. His powerful playing, unmistakable tone, and uncompromising spirit helped shape generations of musicians and fans around the world." The Hall of Fame added that Friedman, who first revealed his battle in Feb. 2026, battled his disease "with the same courage and honesty that defined his life and career." Friedman joined Manowar in 1980 and recorded six albums with them before leaving in 1988 after playing on Kings Of Metal. He had continued to play with The Dictators until recently. The band announced in November that it was cancelling a show because he had suffered a hand injury that was being evaluated. Friedman joined Manowar in 1980 and recorded six albums with them before leaving in 1988 after playing on Kings Of Metal. He had continued to play with The Dictators until recently. The band announced in November that it was cancelling a show because he had suffered a hand injury that was being evaluated. ALS is a nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, according to the Mayo Clinic. It causes loss of muscle control and gets worse over time, and it is not known what causes the disease. "It's difficult to know what lies ahead, and it crushes me not to be able to play guitar," Friedman said earlier this year. "But the outpouring of love has been so, so strong. I'm absolutely blown away by the love and support from family, friends and fans. I love you all." - PennLive.com, 3/28/26...... Actress Mary Beth Hurt, who was nominated for three Tonys and appeared in numerous films including Interiors and The World According to Garp, died on Mar. 29 from Alzheimer's. She was 79. Her death was confirmed via a joint Facebook post from her daughter, Molly Schrader, and her husband, writer-director Paul Schrader. "She was an actress, a wife, a sister, a mother, an aunt, a friend, and she took on all those roles with grace and kind ferocity," read the post. "Although we're all grieving there is some comfort in knowing she is no longer suffering and reunited with her sisters in peace." Hurt worked on stage, in films and in television and collaborated with her husband, Schrader, on Affliction and Light Sleeper. Born Mary Beth Supinger in Marshalltown, Iowa, she was married to Oscar-winning actor William Hurt from 1971 to 1982, after a four-year separation. She studied acting at the University of Iowa and then at NYU and made her debut on the New York stage in 1974. She was Tony-nominated for her performances in "Crimes of the Heart," for which she won an Obie, "Trelawny of the Wells" and "Benefactors." Woody Allen cast her in her first film role in the 1978 Interiors, in which she played one of the three sisters dealing with the breakdown of her family. She followed with The World According to Garp, playing Helen Holm Garp, Chilly Scenes of Winter, Martin Scorsese's The Age of Innocence and Six Degrees of Separation. Hurt rarely enjoyed top billing during her career, and that's the way she preferred it. "I've never been extremely comfortable playing the lead," she explained in a 2010 interview. "I don't like the responsibility; there's a feeling that I have to be good. Besides, I found secondary parts much more interesting, especially when I was younger and the ingnue roles were pretty bland." For television, she starred on the 1988-89 NBC drama Tattinger's and had a memorable guest-starring turn alongside Henry Winkler on a 2002 episode of Law & Order: SVU. Survivors also include her children, Molly and Sam. - Variety, 3/30/26...... Dash Crofts, one half of the '70s soft rock duo Seals and Crofts, died of heart failure on Mar. 26. He was 85 years old. The news was announced on Facebook by the duo's producer, Louie Shelton, shortly after which a member of Crofts' family confirmed it to TMZ.com. "Sad to hear our dear brother and partner in music has passed away today," Shelton wrote on Facebook. "Sending love and prayers to all his family and many fans. R.I.P. my brother..Dash Crofts." Born Darrell George Crofts on Aug. 14, 1940, in Cisco, Tex., Mr. Crofts met fellow Texan Jim Seals, who died in 2022 at age 80, while they were teenagers. Before their success as a duo, Seals and Crofts were members of the rock band The Champs, who were riding the success of their No. 1 Latin-rock instrumental hit "Tequila." Mr. Crofts combined with Seals to form Seals and Crofts in 1969 and the duo had some big hits. The biggest of those was 1972's "Summer Breeze" which made it to No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972, and the band followed that with another hit, "Diamond Girl" which also made it to No. 6 in 1973. The duo also had "Get Closer" featuring Carolyn Willis, which made it to No. 6 in 1976, "I'll Play for You," and "You're the Love." One of their most controversial tracks, "Unborn Child" -- an anti-abortion song released the year after the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court verdict in 1973 -- reached No. 66. The album of the same name was a critical and commercial flop, and prompted pro-choice demonstrations at many of their shows. The pair also had success on the Billboard Hot 200 albums chart. In 1972, Summer Breeze reached No. 7, after which Diamond Girl peaked at No. 4 in 1973. Seals and Crofts released the first of its 17 albums, Seals & Crofts, in 1969. After 1980's The Longest Road, the duo split up. That led to a 24 year gap before a brief reunion in 2004 when they released their final album, Traces. After living in Mexico, Australia and Nashville, Mr. Crofts returned to his home state late in life and raised horses. He is survived by his wife, Louise Crofts, three children and eight grandchildren. - Billboard/PennLive.com, 3/26/26.

Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on December 1st, 2025

Aerosmith has achieved a new Top 10 record in the Billboard Hot 200 album chart with their collaboration with English singer/actor Yungblud. Yungblud's album One More Time has debuted at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 200 for the week dated Dec. 6, making Aerosmith the second group -- and fifth act overall -- with a newly-charting Top 10 in each of the last six decades (1970s through 2020s). Aerosmith notched its first top 10 on the Hot 200 in 1976 (and only Top 10 of the '70s) with Rocks (peaking at No. 3). The band then scored one top 10 in the '80s (1989's No. 5-peaking Pump), three in the '90s (Get a Grip, No. 1; Big Ones, No. 6 and Nine Lives, No. 1), three in the 2000s (Just Push Play, No. 2; O, Yeah! Ultimate Aerosmith Hits, No. 2 and Honkin' On Bobo, No. 5), one in the '10s (Music From Another Dimension!, No. 5) and now one in the '20s with One More Time. The Yungblud/Aerosmith first single from One More Time, "My Only Angel," blasted to the top of Billboard's Hot Hard Rock Songs chart dated Oct. 4. Aerosmith is the second group, following The Rolling Stones, with at least one newly-charting top 10 in every decade from the 1970s through the 2020s. Among all acts, there are just five with a new Top 10 in each decade in that span: Aerosmith, The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen and James Taylor. - Billboard, 11/30/25...... Eric Clapton has announced a huge one-off show in the UK at The Sandringham Estate in Norfolk in August 2026. Slowhand's Aug. 23 gig is the first show to be revealed for the 2026 Sandringham summer series, which will run between Aug. 20-23. The show will see the guitar icon break out classics including "Layla" and "Wonderful Tonight," as well as newer tracks from his most recent album, Meanwhile, which dropped in 2024. "Eric Clapton is one of the greatest musicians of all time and it's a dream come true for all of us at HeritageLive Festivals to have him play at The Sandringham Estate for us next August," said Giles Cooper of HeritageLive Festivals. "It's going to be such a special and unique event -- one of those gigs where you say in years to come 'I was there!'. We just can't wait!" Clapton headlined a US tour earlier in 2025 behind the new album, his 22nd studio effort which included contributions from the likes of Van Morrison, Bradley Walker, Judith Hill and the late Jeff Beck. Before the US tour kicked off in September, MTV confirmed details of a feature-length special about the former Yardbirds member, titled Eric Clapton Unplugged Over 30 Years Later, and the three-time Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame inductee also made a cameo alongside Shania Twain in Spinal Tap's "final" concert movie, Stone Henge: The Final Finale. - New Musical Express, 11/27/25...... DEVO and The B-52s will showcase their unique brand of eccentricities with a two huge co-headlining shows in the UK next June. On Nov. 28, the two New Wave legends announced a gig at London's O2 on June 20, 2026, followed the next evening with a show at Manchester's AO Arena. Both bands have previously embarked on their respective farewell tours in the past few years, but later decided to keep playing live after joining forces on Saturday Night Live and reigniting demand from fans. The two UK dates come as an extension to their "Cosmic De-Evolution Tour," which has already seen them take to stages across the US and Canada. For The B-52s, it will be their first time performing live in the UK since 2019, and for DEVO, it comes after the alt icons headed out on their "50 Years of De-Evolution Tour" in 2023. Joining the two bands at the London and Manchester shows will be Scottish punk legends The Rezillos and fellow New Wave artist Lene Lovich. - NME, 11/28/25...... The L.A.-based duo Sparks have announced details of a new gig taking place at London's Royal Hospital Chelsea in 2026. The new live show takes place as part of the Live At Chelsea concert series, which is returning in 2026 for its first edition in four years. Brothers Ron and Russel Mael will be taking to the stage on June 12, after dropping their acclaimed 28th studio album MAD! and companion EP "MADDER!" in 2024. The duo first broke onto the charts in 1974 with their UK hit "This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both of Us." Sparks are the third artist confirmed to be headlining the outdoor shows at Royal Hospital Chelsea in 2026, following The Proclaimers (on June 13) and The Beach Boys (June 14). - NME, 12/1/25..... In a new interview with Vulture.com, David Byrne revealed he is considering making another concert movie. Asked if he was considering adapting his new "Who Is The Sky?" tour for Broadway and hiring a noted director to film it -- as he did with Spike Lee for 2020's acclaimed production "American Utopia -- Byrne said: "I'm thinking about that, so we'll see what happens there. Because, yes, it's a very extensive tour and it's not going to last forever." The former Talking Heads frontman has been involved in several groundbreaking concert movies, both with his former band and solo. 1984's Stop Making Sense was filmed by Oscar-winning director Jonathan Demme, who filmed Talking Heads during four nights at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles. Capturing the band at the peak of their creativity, the combination of Byrne's staging and Demme's cinematic artistry led it to be considered one of the greatest concert movies ever made. A24 released a 4K restoration of the film in 2024. - NME, 11/28/25...... Speaking to Variety, Elton John has shared some grave news about the current state of his eyesight. Sir Elton, who first opened up in 2024 about how an infection left him blind in one eye and with poor vision in the other, says the loss of his vision has left him "devastated." "Because I lost my right eye and my left eye's not so good, the last 15 months have been challenging for me because I haven't been able to see anything, watch anything, read anything," John explained, adding that he still has "hope" that the situation will get better. "I've had the most incredible life, and there is hope. I've just gotta be patient that someday science will help me with this one. Once they help me with this one, I'll be fine," he said. "It's exactly like the AIDS situation. You mustn't give up hope, you must be stoic, you must be strong and you must always try and batter the door down to try and improve things," he added. The latest comments come following Elton opening up last year about other health issues he has been facing, and told fans in Oct. 2024 that "there's not much of me left" following multiple surgeries. "I don't have tonsils, adenoids or an appendix. I don't have a prostate, I don't have a right hip or a left knee or a right knee," he said at the premiere of his career-spanning documentary Elton John: Never Too Late. "In fact, the only thing left to me is my left hip. But I'm still here." Given the recent struggles, the Rocket Man confirmed to Varietythat he would "not be going on tour again" once his extensive "Farewell Yellow Brick Road"' tour ended in July 2023. However, he later said he would perform "the odd show," giving fans hope they would be able to see the music icon once more, and he was recently confirmed as the first headliner for the Rock in Rio 2026 festival in Brazil on Sept. 7, 2026. - NME, 11/27/25...... The estate of late Country legend Johnny Cash has launched legal action against Coca-Cola, accusing the company of unlawfully imitating the late country icon's voice in a recent advertisement. The suit was filed in Nashville on Nov. 25 under Tennessee's newly enacted ELVIS Act, which safeguards artists' voices from unauthorized commercial use. The Cash estate argues that a Coca-Cola jingle aired during college football broadcasts since August features vocals that sound "strikingly" like Cash, performed by tribute artist Shawn Barker. While the Cash estate has previously licensed the musician's songs for advertising -- including "Ragged Old Flag" and "Personal Jesus" during Super Bowl telecasts -- they claim Coca-Cola bypassed the proper channels this time. "The trust brings this lawsuit to protect the voice of Johnny Cash -- and to send a message that protects the voice of all of the artists whose music enriches our lives," said estate attorney Tim Warnock. he lawsuit seeks an injunction to pull the ad from circulation, alongside financial damages for alleged violations of Cash's publicity rights, federal false endorsement laws, and Tennessee's consumer protection statute. Coca-Cola has yet to respond publicly to the claims. Barker himself, who has toured globally for more than two decades with his tribute show "The Man in Black: A Tribute to Johnny Cash," is not named in the suit. - Music-News.com, 11/27/25...... Mick Jagger has led tributes to the recently deceased British playwright Tom Stoppard, who died "peacefully" on Nov. 29 at age 88 at his Dorset home surrounded by family. "Tom Stoppard was my favourite playwright," the Rolling Stones frontman posted to X/Twitter on Nov. 29. "He leaves us with a majestic body of intellectual and amusing work. I will always miss him," he added. Over a long career, Mr. Stoppard won five Tony Awards for his work in theatre, with his most celebrated plays including "Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead," "Jumpers," "Arcadia" and "The Real Thing." He also worked regularly in cinema, writing the first draft of the screenplay for Steven Spielberg's Empire Of The Sun and the final re-write of Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade. He also contributed to Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge Of The Sith, was nominated for an Oscar for co-writing Terry Gilliam's Brazil and won Best Original Screenplay for Shakespeare In Love. "He will be remembered for his works, for their brilliance and humanity, and for his wit, his irreverence, his generosity of spirit and his profound love of the English language," a statement from his family read. Also posting tributes to the Czechoslovakian-born playwright were Michael McKean, Sean Ono Lennon, Gloria Mann and Piers Morgan. The adjective "Stoppardian' has been added to the English dictionary, to describe writing that combines wit, linguistic flair and philosophical complexity. Meanwhile, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards have payed tribute to late reggae and soul legend Jimmy Cliff, who passed away on Nov. 24 aged 81, caused by "a seizure followed by pneumonia." Sir Mick shared a photo of the pair on X/Twitter laughing and drinking together at Cliff's 1981 performance at New York's Ritz Hotel. "So sad to lose the beautiful voice of Jamaica, Jimmy Cliff," Jagger wrote. The two were once reportedly neighbors in London during the time Cliff was becoming an actor in the 1970s -- eventually landing his role for The Harder They Come, for which he would also write its pivotal soundtrack. Richards also took to social media to share his memories of Cliff, writing: "Farewell Jimmy, I was in Jamaica when 'The Harder They Come' was in every cinema on the island. You could feel the pride and the love for Jimmy everywhere," the guitarist posted to X. "The sweetest voice, the sweetest soul. His music will live with us forever! Heartfelt condolences to his family! One love, Keith." - NME, 11/29/25...... In related news, Bob Dylan has paid tribute to late The Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan with a live cover of The Pogues' "A Rainy Night In Soho." Dylan's version of the band's 1986 song closed out his Nov. 25 show at the 3Arena in Dublin. It marked the cover's first appearance on Dylan's 2025 "Rough And Rowdy Ways" UK and European tour, which wrapped up in the Irish capital. He previously debuted the track in May, during his performance at Willie Nelson's US "Outlaw Music Festival Tour." MacGowan's widow, Victoria Mary Clarke, took to X/Twitter following Dylan's gig in Dublin. "I'm so grateful to Bob Dylan for honouring Shane MacGowan tonight at the 3Arena Dublin with a most exquisite cover of 'Rainy Night In Soho' on the eve of our wedding anniversary," she wrote. Dylan's cover of "A Rainy Night In Soho" can be viewed on YouTube. - NME, 11/27/25...... Jackson Browne shared a statement on his Facebook page on Nov. 26 announcing the death of his 52-year-old actor/musician son, Ethan Browne. "It is with deep sorrow that we share that on the morning of November 25, 2025, Ethan Browne, the son of Jackson Browne and Phyllis Major, was found unresponsive in his home and has passed away. We ask for privacy and respect for the family during this difficult time. No further details are available at this moment," reads the post. Ethan Browne was born Nov. 2, 1973. He was known as a model, musician and an actor, with roles in the films Raising Helen (alongside actress/singer Kate Hudson), Hackers, and the television series Birds of Prey. As a musician, Browne also teamed with Cat Colbert to form the duo Alain Zane. They released the 2022 album Right Before Your Eyes and released songs including "CA State of Mind" and "Kite." In 1974, just six months after he was born, Ethan appeared with his father on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. Phyllis Major and Jackson Browne were wed in 1975; the following year, Major died at age 30 due to an overdose. Jackson wed Lynne Sweeney in 1981 and they welcomed son Ryan in 1982; the couple divorced in 1983. - Billboard, 11/26/25.

As the 2025 Black Friday Record Store Day approaches on Nov. 28, several '70s musicians are dropping notable projects for this year's event. Rhino Records has liberated the live portion of Fleetwood Mac's 2022 deluxe edition of the band's self-titled 1975 LP as its own standalone title. Fleetwood Mac: Live 1975 is culled from a pair of Oct. '75 dates at the Capitol Theatre in Passaic, N.J., and the Jorgensen Auditorium at the University of Connecticut. This double LP -- making its vinyl debut -- finds the band in peak form as it runs though its hits of the day -- "Rhiannon" and "Landslide" -- along with new lineup versions of such early Mac classics as "Oh Well," "Station Man" and "The Green Manalishi (with the Two Pronged Crown)." Also worth digging for is the original version of Bob Dylan's iconic second album, The Original Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, an album that underwent a number of tracklist changes before it hit record shops on account of the sheer volume by which the Rock Bard was writing songs at the time. It's an interesting alternate look at a most iconic LP from His Bobness. The 3-LP Billy Joel live set, Live From Long Island, has been freed from the confines of Joel's 2023 box set The Vinyl Collection, Vol. 2. A standalone vinyl edition of Live From Long Island has been on the wish list for Billy Joel fans for, um, "The Longest Time." Lastly, Van Halen's Live at Wembley 1995 was recorded during the tour behind their tepid final full-length album with Sammy Hagar, Balance. This 8-song document recorded an London's Wembley Stadium sees the band tear through such David Lee Roth-era gems as "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love," The Kinks' "You Really Got Me" and "Jump" along with "Van Hagar" essentials such as "When It's Love" and "Right Now" to create a unique live recording longtime fans of both versions of the band can appreciate. - Billboard, 11/24/25...... In an interview with Variety, Elton John calls out American politicians who are rolling back support for HIV/AIDS research. "I just am enraged by it," John said about what he sees as a lack of political support for cobatting the lethal epidemic. "It's very frustrating when you've got the tools in your hand to end it, and then you find that countries in Africa, Russia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe won't help." Although Elton praised the efforts of the current administration to bring an end to the war in Gaza, he simultaneously called them out for fumbling an issue as vital as ending HIV and AIDS. "There's another war with people who are suffering from HIV and AIDS that should be able to get their medicine but can't, because governments won't let them. It's inhumane," the Rocket Man said. "So my big beef at the moment is, yes, thank God, maybe there's peace, after more things are sorted out. But there are crimes against millions of other people that are happening because of governments and stigma and hate," he added. The administration of Pres. Donald Trump has halted funds originally intended for global programs aimed at HIV prevention and openly threatened federal funding for domestic programs aimed at helping those afflicted with the disease. John said if the president dedicated his efforts to helping end the AIDS epidemic, he could go down as "one of the greatest presidents in history." "If he ended AIDS, that would really be a feather in his cap," he added. In other Elton news, on Nov. 26 the music legend was unveiled as the first headliner for Rock in Rio 2026 -- despite his announcement in July 2023 that he woud be retiring from touring once his "Farewell Yellow Brick Road" tour ended. Elton, 78, however later said that he would perform "the odd show" occasionally. So far, these have included the 50th annual Candlelight Concert in the US in Dec. 2024 and the opening of the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center last summer. In 2023, John also played live at the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame ceremony, where he inducted his longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin. Back in October, John also played to the biggest crowd since he quit touring two years ago at the Singapore Grand Prix. Now after nearly a decade away from the Brazilian capital, the Rock In Rio festival announced on Instagram that the superstar will perform in Rio in 2026, headlining the Palco Mundo (World Stage) on Sept. 7, 2026. "I've always had a fantastic time whenever we've played in Brazil," Elton said in a statement. "I didn't manage to get to South America for the farewell tour, so when Rock In Rio asked me to play, I said 'yes' immediately." Also in the Variety interview, the musician has revealed he has seven new songs from his longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin that are ready to record. "I've got seven new lyrics from Bernie, and David (Furnish, husband) read them to me the other night, and they're really, really good, so I can't wait to go in the studio with Andrew (Watt, producer) and just write and see what happens," he said. "Music has been my whole life and has given me so much and takes me on journeys that I never thought I would ever go on - and it's still doing that. I just like doing the odd thing. It pays the rent very well, and it keeps me musical. I just can't wait to go into the studio now and write some new songs and go from there." - Billboard/New Musical Express/Music-News.com, 11/25/25...... The Beach Boys will be celebrating the 60th anniversary of their seminal 1966 album Pet Sounds with a headlining concert as part of the London Live At Chelsea concert series at the Royal Hospital Chelsea on June 14, 2026. It will be one of Beach Boys' first shows since the death of frontman Brian Wilson earlier this summer. News of his death was shared in June, and the 82-year-old was reported to have died due to "respiratory arrest," with sepsis and cystitis listed as contributing factors. Going forward, the gig will see the band fronted by co-founder and lyricist Mike Love, joined by longtime member Bruce Johnston along with Christian Love, Tim Bonhomme, Jon Bolton, Keith Hubacher, Randy Leago, John Wedemeyer and musical directorBrian Eichenberger. The Live At Chelsea concert series returns in 2026 for the first time in four years, and a portion of proceeds from the concerts, which will also feature The Proclaimers, supports the ongoing care of the Chelsea Pensioners. The announcement can be viewed on Instagram. - NME, 11/24/25...... Queen cofounders Brian May and Roger Taylor have hinted they'd like to participate in an ABBA Voyage-style hologram show. Speaking to BigIssue.com, May and Taylor addressed the chances of an original Queen line-up reunion of sorts with late vocalist Freddie Mercury and bassist John Deacon, who retired in 1997. Touching on "reuniting" with their former bandmates virtually, May said: "Freddie is still alive through the music that we listen to all the time. In a sense, John is still with us in the same way, but now we have so many other opportunities. I mean things that are immersive, like The Sphere in Las Vegas, it will be possible to give people the experience very closely of what things were like for us when we were Freddie, John, Brian and Roger. And that really appeals to me." May went on to compare their recent live shows to what can be done via holograms: "In our Queen shows for a very long time I've been doing 'Love of My Life'. And in the end, Freddie comes in and joins me as on video. It was just quite simply done, but it's a way of involving Freddie, and I think we can basically take that a lot further." Drummer Taylor then revealed that while he "had a good time" and "enjoyed" the ABBA Voyage show -- which debuted in 2022 -- he left a showing with mixed feelings: "I didn't find the actual projections that convincing. I do think technology now has come so much further since the ABBA show started, I think a lot more can be done." In 2024, speculation emerged that a Queen hologram show was in the works after Mercury Songs Limited -- the organization which has ownership over Mercury's solo works -- reportedly filed to trademark his moniker for virtual reality and 3D. May also said he'd be up for a Queen residency at the Las Vegas Sphere: I'm very keen on the Sphere. It's got my mind working," he said. - NME, 11/24/25...... Gordon Lightfoot's 1976 hit "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" is finally a Billboard No. 1 after the famous shipwreck's 50 anniversary on Nov. 10. In the week ending Nov. 13, "Edmund Fitzgerald" drew 3.7 million official U.S. streams and sold 5,000 downloads, according to Luminate, marking increases of 140% and 328%, respectively, week over week. It returns to Billboard's Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart dated Nov. 22 at No. 15. The latter count pushes the song to No. 1 on Rock Digital Song Sales, marking its first placement atop any Billboard tally. It's Lightfoot's chart third leader on the list, after "If You Could Read My Mind" and "Sundown" in 2023, following Lightfoot's death at age 84 that May 1. Those two tracks also return to Rock Digital Song Sales, reflecting general interest in Lightfoot's catalog beyond "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"; "Sundown" ranks at No. 6 and "If You Could Read My Mind" at No. 10, each with 1,000 sold. In all, Lightfoot's catalog drew 9.1 million on-demand streams Nov. 7-13, a gain of 67%. It also sold 7,000 song downloads, a vault of 285%. The 50th anniversary of the wreck of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald was Nov. 10. As chronicled by Lightfoot, the 729-foot long freighter sank in Lake Superior during a sudden storm. All 29 crewmen aboard died. After Lightfoot wrote the track, he became close to several of the victims' family members. - Billboard, 11/20/25...... Brian Eno has hooked up with Bastille's Dan Smith, Leigh-Anne, Celeste and other artists to join the race for the UK's Christmas Number One single with their charity effort "Lullaby." The song comes from the same team behind the "Together For Palestine" charity show in September, which was organized by Eno, and featured performances from Smith, Paul Weller, Damon Albarn, Nadine Shaw, Cat Burns, Rachel Chinouriri, Yasiin Bey and more. Set for release on Dec. 12, every penny raised from "Lullaby" will go to Choose Love's "Together For Palestine Fund," which supports three Palestinian-led organizations: Taawon, Palestine Children's Relief Fund and Palestine Medical Relief Service. "This lullaby from our Palestinian musical heritage has been with me since early childhood," Eno said in a statement. Today, it returns at a much-needed time as a reminder of what Palestinians will never lose: hope, defiance, beauty, and dignity," shared Palestinian musician Barghouti." In a push to help get the song to Number One and to raise more funds for the three charities, fans are urged to pre-order the single which can be done here. - NME, 11/26/25...... Robert Plant has played a career-spanning set made up of a Led Zeppelin classic as well as some covers at National Public Radio's (NPR) intimate "Tiny Desk" program. The musician was joined by bandmates Suzi Dian (on vocals and accordion), Matt Worley (guitar, banjo, cuatro), Tony Kelsey (guitar), Barney Morse-Brown (cello) and Oli Jefferson (drums)."This is just like Live Aid," Plant joked. "I couldn't hear myself there either." His five-song setlist blended folk songs and covers, including an emotive rendition of Low's "Everybody's Song" and Moby Grape's "It's a Beautiful Day Today." Plant and Dian closed their set with "Gallows Pole," which Plant sang on 1970's Led Zeppelin III. Before taking on the track, Plant took a moment to pay homage to the American blues singer Lead Belly, who was his first introduction to the song. "His memory has lived on in all of the music that I've ever been near and been touched by," Plant said. The "Tiny Desk" gig comes ahead of Plant and Saving Grace gearing up to wrap their current leg of US concerts, with the final date happening on Nov. 23 in Valley Center, Calif. Following that, they'll head back to the UK or a run of shows that will run until Dec. 23. Plant's "Tiny Desk" set can be streamed on YouTube. - NME, 11/22/25...... The Sex Pistols featuring Frank Carter have announced a series of 50th anniversary shows for 2026. The iconic punk band -- which has been fronted by former Gallows vocalist Carter since 2024 -- will celebrate five decades since their earlier legendary Lesser Free Trade Hall gigs at the Manchester venue on June 4 and July 20 in 1976. The group have announced a series of four huge shows next summer to mark the occasion, with The Undertones as the main support. Carter is joined by longstanding members Glen Matlock, Paul Cook and Steve Jones. The run will kick off with a headline gig for K Maxx Presents Live at The Piece Hall in Halifax on July 11, before the Pretty Vacant hitmakers play Manchester's Castlefield Bowl the following day. Then they'll move onto TK Maxx Presents Depot Live at Cardiff Castle on Aug. 1, before the tour ends the next night with TK Maxx Presents Scarborough Open Air Theatre. - Music-News.com, 11/25/25...... A malicious prosecution lawsuit brought against the Eagles' Don Henley and his longtime manager, Irving Azoff, has been dismissed. It follows a previous case against three collectables experts in March, after Glenn Horowitz, Edward Kosinski and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame curator Craig Inciardi were accused of attempting to sell handwritten notes and lyrics from the classic 1977 single "Hotel California," as well as its follow-up "Life In The Fast Lane," back in 2022. Officials estimated at the time that the documents were worth over $1 million in total, with the defendants maintaining that they had legally obtained the lyric sheets from author Ed Sanders, who was hired to write a biography for The Eagles in the late '70s. Sanders sold the notepad to Horowitz -- a rare book dealer -- for $50,000 back in 2005. However, the judge dropped the case midway after concluding that Henley had "manipulated" prosecutors by withholding evidence, saying at the time that Henley, Azoff, and their lawyers had "used the privilege to obfuscate and hide information that they believed would be damaging to their position that the lyric sheets were stolen," Henley has since maintained that the documents were stolen. In February, this prompted Horowitz to sue both Henley and Azoff for malicious prosecution. He alleged the pair had manipulated New York prosecutors into charging him and two other innocent men. Henley and Azoff say they did nothing wrong and pointed to the collapse of the criminal case as being based on a technicality. Now a judge in a New York court has sided with the duo and dismissed the malicious prosecution claims as legally deficient. Henley's attorney Dan Petrocelli said: "The only malicious prosecution was Horowitz's own lawsuit, which the court promptly and rightly dismissed." Horowitz's lawyer, Caitlin Robin, said that they will appeal Justice Waterman-Marshall's decision. - NME, 11/22/25...... On Nov. 21 Neil Young took to Instagram to announce an outdoor UK tour for 2026 with his band Chrome Hearts. The tour will see them play multiple outdoor shows across the UK, kicking off with a night at Manchester's Heaton Park on June 19, and continue on June 27 with the headline slot at the inaugural State Fayre Festival in Chelmsford. On June 29, the will head over to Scotland for a slot at the Glasgow Summer Sessions at Bellahouston Park, and on July 3, they will perform at Blenheim Palace Festival 2026. Finally, on July 5 Young will perform at the Blackweir Fields in Cardiff. The new tour dates for 2026 come a Young and his band released their new album Talking To The Trees over the summer, and were praised for their timeless slot on Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage. Young is also on the bill for the new State Fayre festival, set for June 26-28 at the Hylands Park in Chelmsford, Essex. - NME, 11/21/25...... Joni Mitchell will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 JUNO Awards. The legendary songwriter, 82, will be celebrated with one of Canada's highest artistic distinctions at the ceremony in Hamilton, Ont., on Mar. 29. The National Arts Centre will present the accolade in recognition of her unparalleled influence on music and culture across generations. Mitchell, whose career spans more than five decades, has shaped the soundscape of modern songwriting with timeless works such as Blue and Court and Spark. Her artistry has not only defined eras but continues to inspire musicians worldwide. - Music-News.com, 11/25/25...... Michael Jackson's daughter Paris Jackson filed a lawsuit at a Los Angeles court on Nov. 18 claiming that her inheritance from her late dad has been "mismanaged," and executors have pocketed $10 million. Paris, 27, claims that roughly $464 million has still not yet been invested by co-executors John Branca and John McClain, with it having a gain of under 0.1 per cent. If it were invested properly, she claims, that money could have generated profits of $41 million. She also accuses the two executors of using the estate as a "vehicle for John Branca to enrich and aggrandize himself, rather than serve the beneficiaries"- - also claiming that 2021 alone saw the two of them pocket more than $10 million in compensation. That sum is allegedly over "double the amount distributed to any beneficiary." The filing also alleges that the total compensation pocketed by Branca and McClain that year could be up to $148.2 million, which "dwarfs" the amount shared with Jackson's children. Paris is one of the music icon's three children with second wife Debbie Rowe, with siblings Prince (28) and Bigi (formerly Blanket, aged 23). The singer died in 2009, aged 50, and his estate was managed by executors given that his kids were children at the time. - NME, 11/21/25...... After announcing his retirement from music earlier in November, former Deep Purple and Whitesnake singer David Coverdale waved a poignant, emotional goodbye in Whitesnakes's final video for a string-laden remix of its track "Forevermore." The remix of the title track from the band's 2011 album, Forevermore, was produced by Coverdale and features a new orchestral arrangement from the Hook City Strings. Directed by Payton Murphy, the video is a trip down memory lane, featuring shots of a grey-haired Coverdale, famous for his flowing blonde hair, singing the tune's nostalgic lyrics amid shots of his family and wife of 28 years Cindy Barker. "Looking back across the years/ The good times and the bad/ All echo in my mind," Coverdale sings plaintively from a room festooned with candles and draped in white curtains, lamenting the mix of "sweet and bitter memories" he's left behind. The "Forevermore" remix video has been shared on YouTube. - Billboard, 11/21/25...... Former Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman is reportedly "recuperating at home" after undergoing major brain surgery. In September, the musician announced that he would be postponing a string of planned concerts as he was due to undergo an operation to treat Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH) -- a neurological disorder characterised by the build-up of cerebrospinal fluid in the skull. In a statement posted to his official website, Wakeman revealed he had undergone a corrective "shunt" surgery earlier in November and the procedure was "very successful." "I had the necessary corrective 'shunt' brain surgery last week which I am pleased to say was very successful and I am now recuperating at home being cared for by my lovely wife and our wonderful furry healing animals!" he wrote. "I have to take things easy for a while but have been told by my surgeon that I will be perfectly fine to travel to America for the tour with my son Oliver in March (2026) and will be fine for all future engagements after that." Wakeman went on to note that he plans to appear at two charity concerts in Norwich and Ipswich, England on Dec. 19 and 20. Elsewhere in the post, the musician insisted the surgery hasn't impacted his ability to play the piano. "I am also pleased to say that it doesn't seem to have affected my piano playing in any way as I still seem to be very capable of hitting the odd wrong note here and there when I lose my concentration!" the 76-year-old continued. "Once again, I'd like to thank everybody who wished me well over the last few months for a speedy recovery, as it really did mean a lot to me." Wakeman has faced many health issues over the years, and in 2023, he shared that he had macular degeneration in his left eye and arthritis in his hands, legs, and feet. - Music-News.com, 11/26/25...... In a new interview with the London Telegraph, Squeeze frontman Glenn Tilbrook revealed that he was abused when he was a teenager. Tilbrook, 68, claimed that an older man abused him when he was 13 at the first gig he ever went to. "It was in a scout hut in Eltham, and it was the Irish band Tír na nÓg, who I really liked. I went by myself. I would have been just early 13, and that's where I met, not this guy, Ron, but another guy. And so this guy just says, 'Come over to our squat.' And that's where I met Ron actually, at that squat." Speaking about the alleged abuse, he went on: "I don't feel angry. [But] as I've got older, I've realised things that haven't been OK, in certain ways that I behave." Tilbrook described his childhood as "quite dysfunctional". He said: "There was no parental control. I was taking drugs and having sex at 13, which perhaps wasn't so great." Elsewhere, former Squeeze drummer Gilson Lavis died earlier this month, aged 74. Since then the band announced on Instagram that they're planning a UK arena tour for 2026, marking their biggest headline shows yet. The London band will hit the road for their "Tried, Tested And Trixies" trek next winter, with Billy Bragg joining them as a special guest opener. Before that, Squeeze are set to support Madness on their 2025 "Hit Parade" UK arena tour, which kicks off in December. - NME, 11/23/25...... German actor Udo Kier, who worked with such renowned filmmakers as Andy Warhol, Lars von Trier, Gus Van Sant and Werner Herzog, died on Nov. 23. He was 81. His partner, artist Delbert McBride, confirmed the news to Variety, and a cause of death was not provided. Mr. Kier became a cult film icon with his starring roles in the Warhol-produced (and Paul Morrissey-directed) movies Flesh for Frankenstein in 1973 and Blood for Dracula in 1974. In 1991 he appeared in Van Sant's My Own Private Idaho. He also had roles in a number of big-budget Hollywood films, including Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Johnny Mnemonic, Armageddon and Blade. Overall he had a role in over 250 movies. He also worked with Madonna, appearing in her video for "Deeper and Deeper," as well as her coffee-table book, Sex. - PennLive.com, 11/24.25...... Jellybean Johnson, the Minneapolis musician and producer who was the drummer for the Prince-affiliated funk-rock group The Time, died on Nov. 21, according to a statement by his family. He was 69. Prince recruited Johnson (real name Garry George Johnson), who was self-taught on drums and guitar, in 1981 for The Time, an act born out of the city's Flyte Tyme. They'd known each other since their high school years in Minneapolis. As a member of The Time -- and later, Prince's The Family -- Johnson helped establish the funk-rock, new wave and synth-pop hybrid that became known as the Minneapolis Sound. He appeared as a fictionalized version of himself in 1984's Academy Award-winning Purple Rain and as himself in 1990's Graffiti Bridge. Johnson is also known for his work as a producer, with Janet Jackson's 1990 No. 1 hit "Black Cat" among his credits -- and he was an in-demand session musician. Johnson co-founded the non-profit Minneapolis Sound Museum in 2021, and the following year was awarded a Soul Train Lifetime Achievement Award with The Time. - Billboard, 11/22/25...... Beloved reggae singer and Jamaican musical icon Jimmy Cliff has died on the morning of Nov. 24. He was 81. The "Many Rivers to Cross" singer's wife, Latifah Chambers, announced the news in an Instagram post that read, "It's with profound sadness that I share that my husband, Jimmy Cliff, has crossed over due to a seizure followed by pneumonia. I am thankful for his family, friends, fellow artists and coworkers who have shared his journey with him. To all his fans around the world, please know that your support was his strength throughout his whole career. He really appreciated each and every fan for their love." Born James Chambers on Apr. 1, 1948 in the St. James parish of Jamaica near Montego Bay, Mr. Cliff's talent was spotted early on at the Somerton All Age School in the 1950. The eighth of nine children, Mr. Cliff's signature vocal tone, a high and mellifluous croon, immediately set him apart when he moved to Kingston at 14, adopted his more famous stage name and began cutting songs with an American R&B influence before making the connection that would change his life. Mr. Cliff's ska-tinged debut single, "Hurricane Hattie," was released on Beverley's Records, a label he formed with Kingston businessman Leslie Kong. It rose to the top of the Jamaican charts and was followed by a string of hits sung and written by the artist including "Miss Jamaica," "One-Eyed Jacks" and "King of Kings." In 1969 he hit No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart with "Wonderful World, Beautiful People," followed by the more urgent "Vietnam," a track about a friend who was drafted into the U.S. army and never recovered from his war-time PTSD that Bob Dylan has called the best protest song he ever heard. In the summer of 1970 Mr. Cliff had another hit with a cover of Cat Stevens' "Wild World," compiled on his 1969 Wonderful World, Beautiful People LP. The next year, director Perry Henzell Mr. Cliff, who had no acting experience, to star in The Harder They Come, a slow-burn hit that mixed the joy of the nation's music with clear-eyed depictions of social and economic conditions in what is still considered one of the greatest and most influential music films ever. Mr. Cliff is credited with almost single-handedly introducing the sound of reggae to the world via his masterful turn as country musician Ivan in The Harder They Come, in which the singer tries to break into Jamaica's corrupt music industry as an avatar for the aspiration of being uplifted by music amid the drug, violence and mayhem in Kingston's Trenchtown ghetto. He also contributed four indelible songs to the movie's soundtrack: the ebullient "You Can Get It If You Really Want," meditative "Sitting in Limbo," the beloved title track and the quasi-religious meditation "Many Rivers to Cross." Following the movie's success, Mr. Cliff signed to Warner Bros. Records and appeared as a musical guest during the first season of Saturday Night Live in 1976, but following his early rush of success, Mr. Cliff's music career remained steady, though his global impact was less pronounced than that of Bob Marley, who would quickly rise as the global avatar of reggae. Mr. Cliff continued to release albums throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, earning praise and respect from his musical peers, including Bruce Springsteen, who regularly added the little-known Cliff song "Trapped" to his band's legendarily lengthy live sets; a live version of the song was included on the star-studded 1985 famine relief album We Are the World. A joyful ambassador of reggae, Mr. Cliff won a best reggae album Grammy in 1985 for Cliff Hanger the same year he appeared alongside E Street Band guitarist "Little" Steven Van Zandt on the anti-apartheid song "Sun City." After providing backing vocals on the Rolling Stones' 1986 album Dirty Work, Mr. Cliff was back on the big screen in the Robin Williams comedy Club Paradise, whose soundtrack featured his duet with Elvis Costello on "Seven Day Weekend." Following a long chart drought, Mr. Cliff's 1993 cover of Johnny Nash's "I Can See Clearly Now" from the soundtrack to the Jamaican bobsled team sports comedy Cool Runnings reached No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100. He later teamed with South African producer/composer Lebo M on the single "Hakuna Matata," for the soundtrack to Disney's 1994 mega-hit The Lion King. Mr. Cliff was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010 by the Fugees' Wyclef Jean. He released his final studio album, Refugees, in Aug. 2022 and was the subject of a 2023 off-Broadway stage musical, "The Harder They Come," with a book by Pulitzer Prize winner Suzan-Lori Parks. Before his death Mr. Cliff was the only living reggae artist to have earned Jamaica's Order of Merit, the highest honor the nation's government gives for achievements in the arts and sciences. - Billboard, 11/24/25.

Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on October 22nd, 2025

Bruce Springsteen gave a rare live performance of "Streets Of Philadelphia" at the Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles on Oct. 18. The Boss was on hand at the fifth annual event hosted by the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures to receive the inaugural Legacy Award, which honors artists who have "inspired generations of storytellers and deeply influenced our culture." Springsteen played an acoustic set at the event, which included a performance of his Oscar-winning track "Streets Of Philadelphia," which was written for Jonathan Demme's acclaimed AIDS drama Philadelphia. Also in his set were "Atlantic City" from 1982's Nebraska and his 2000s live favorite "Land Of Hope And Dreams." Fan-captured footage of the performance can be viewed on Instagram. - New Musical Express, 10/19/25...... The UK paper The Sun is reporting Fleetwood Mac is in talks to create a TV show and one-off concert after news that band members are planning to reunite to mark the 50th anniversary of their landmark album Rumours. Plans said to be under discussion for 2027 include a one-off live show, a television special, and a behind-the-scenes documentary revisiting the making of the 1977 record, The Sun reports, and an anniversary edition of Rumours featuring unreleased studio material is also being developed by Warner Records. Should the reunion come to fruition, it would be the band's first since 2019 and would pay tribute to late keyboardist and singer Christine McVie, who died in 2022. According to the article, drummer and band founder Mick Fleetwood, 78, is leading efforts to bring the surviving members -- singer Stevie Nicks, 77, guitarist/singer Lindsey Buckingham, 76, and bassist John McVie, 79 -- together for the project. "Fleetwood Mac are discussing new projects and how to mark Rumours' big 5-0. For certain there is a special edition version of the album coming, which the band and label have been secretly looking at," a source said. "But also there is a significant hope that it is time for the definitive documentary on all the chaos in the studio that created the magic on record. John and Christine were divorcing and she was dating their lighting guy. Stevie and Lindsey were over just before she and Mick enjoyed a brief fling. And drugs and booze were everywhere. The desire is for everyone to sit down and present their side of events on screen," the source continued. It added, however, that a new tour is "unlikely at this stage" but "there is a desire to pay tribute to Christine in some way and a live show around Rumours seems a very fitting way." - Music-News.com, 10/22/25...... In other 50th anniversary news, Neil Young has announced a 50th anniversary re-release for his 1975 album Tonight's The Night. The limited-edition reissue will contain the full album alongside six bonus tracks, made up of unreleased alternate versions of songs from the era and a collaboration with Joni Mitchell. The album will include a version of "Lookout Joe" that was recorded at S.I.R. Studio in Los Angeles in 1973 in place of the original and a new take on the record's title track. Also included are unreleased versions of "Walk On," "Everybody's Alone" and "Speakin' Out," an early version of "Wonderin'" and a collaborative version of Mitchell's "Raised On Robbery." The reissue will be released on CD, 2-LP and clear 2-LP versions on Nov. 28. Young's sixth album, Tonight's The Night was released in June 1975. It had been recorded two years earlier but Young's label Reprise delayed its release, reportedly due to the bleakness of the subject matter and its rough sound. Meanwhile, rumors that Young, Joan Baez and Willie Nelson would be performing at an "all-American alternative" to the Super Bowl halftime show appear to be the result of AI-generated fake updates that have been circulating online. One of the posts claims that the two of them will be performing there as it is "a heartfelt and patriotic alternative to the Super Bowl 60 halftime event" that will "honour the enduring legacy of Charlie Kirk," the conservative activist who was shot and killed in September. "With Joan's golden voice and Neil's grace-filled harmony, the All-American Halftime Show will turn the world's biggest stage into a moment of hope and homecoming," it read. While reps for both Young and Baez have not commented on the AI-post, it is pretty clear that neither have any intention of performing at the event. A rep for Nelson was quick to dismiss a performance by the country/pop legend at an alternative halftime show, telling Rolling Stone: "They obviously don't know anything about Willie, do they?". The rumors began after Puerto Rican rap star Bad Bunny was announced to headline the Feb. 2026 Super Bowl halftime show, which sparked backlash from right-wing leaders in the US, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. Bad Bunny has admitted that he won't be touring the US during his forthcoming world tour due to fears over ICE agents raiding his concerts. - NME, 10/22/25...... In other Neil Young news, in a new interview with Rolling Stone Micah Nelson, the son of Willie Nelson and a longtime bandmate of Neil Young's, reveals that Young was feeling "really sick" and "drained" before he formed his latest band Chrome Hearts. Nelson said Young was going through a rough patch towards the end of 2024, and seemed to be taking a step back from music due to his tour with Crazy Horse being halted due to a number of health issues among members. Sharing how it took a toll on the frontman, Nelson shared: "I knew how bummed out Neil was. He wasn't feeling like making music. He was really sick. He was trying to get over that and just get his energy back. Then he was really bummed out about what happened and how it all went down. And that just kind of drained him a lot, and doused this flame. I was like: 'Is Neil fading away? This is unacceptable'." Nelson then said he was adamant to rekindle Young's love of music and encourage him to pursue a new project -- ultimately helping lead to the formation of the Chrome Hearts. "Whenever you want to do the thing again, just call me up and I'm ready to go'," Nelson said he told Young. "I'd call him a lot and check in on him and remind him how he's not old," he told the outlet. "I was like: 'Do whatever you got to do, man. Take your time. I get it. Recharge. The tank has got to fill back up, and that can take time, but whenever you want to do the thing again, just call me up and I'm ready to go'.... it took a few years once he started again to really, really get back in the groove." - NME, 10/20/25...... The Sex Pistols bassist Glen Matlock has told the Daily Star paper that the band "have ideas" for making new music with their new frontman Frank Carter. In 2024, bassist Matlock, guitarist Steve Jones and drummer Paul Cook of the punk legends' original line-up enlisted former Gallows frontman Carter to take on lead vocals in place of John Lydon for a series of shows at London's Bush Hall. The line-up has since gone on to play tours around the UK and have announced shows in North and South America. Now, Matlock has suggested that the new version of the band is prepared to record new music together too and are currently considering their options. "We talked about it with Steve Jones," Matlock told the paper. "We have ideas and Frank is a very good lyricist. Everyone has ideas, but we're very busy at the moment and haven't had a chance to really work things out." Matlock also reflected on how any new music would impact the band's legacy. "Above all, we have to ask ourselves if the public really wants us to release new music," he said. "In the end, who knows?" The Pistols and Carter were due to kick off their North and South American dates in September, but were forced to postpone when Jones broke his wrist. They told fans that the gigs would be rescheduled when he has fully recovered. - NME, 10/22/25...... People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have reached out to former Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant, urging him to temporarily change his name to "Robert Plant Wool." The push comes as November, which PETA categorizes as "Plant Wool Month," raises more awareness by the organization for plant alternatives to sheep's wool. In a letter to the Plant, PETA notes that the short-term name change would make more people aware of plant-powered yarns, including those made from hemp, cotton, orange waste, and more. It also would help the push to have people turn away from animal wool and cashmere industries, which it criticises as environmentally-destructive and sometimes abusive. "Plant Wool Month celebrates animal-free and plastic-free yarns that promote sustainable fashion while lowering greenhouse gas emissions, and protecting the animals with whom we share this precious planet," said PETA Vice President of Programmes Elisa Allen. "PETA is asking Robert Plant to sing the praises of plant wool with a temporary name change that reminds everyone that nothing compares to soft, natural, and eco-friendly plant wool." PETA also maintains that Plant Wool Month will generate more recognition for "hard-working crop farmers, innovative textile makers, and pioneering designers who grow, spin, and work with these beautiful yarns to create knitwear, suits, and more." Plant has not yet responded publicly to the letter from PETA. Meanwhile, Plant is currently on tour in the US behind his latest solo album Saving Grace, wrapping on Oct. 22 with a show at the United Theater on Broadway in Los Angeles. - NME, 10/21/25...... Singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins is slamming the unauthorized use of his hit "Danger Zone" in a new AI video shared by Pres. Donald Trump which shows the president flying a plane and dumping feces on protesters set to "Danger Zone." In a statement posted to his Instagram account on Oct. 20, the former Loggins & Messina member and '80s/'90s solo star said that the POTUS' use of his song in the clip shared Oct. 18 was completely "unauthorized" and that "nobody asked me for my permission, which I would have denied." "I request that my recording on this video is removed immediately," he continued. "I can't imagine why anybody would want their music used or associated with something created with the sole purpose of dividing us. Too many people are trying to tear us apart, and we need to find new ways to come together." "We're all Americans, and we're all patriotic," Loggins added. "There is no 'us and them' -- that's not who we are, nor is it what we should be. It's all of us. We're in this together, and it is my hope that we can embrace music as a way of celebrating and uniting each and every one of us." Trump's video with "Danger Zone" -- which was famously used in the 1986 Top Gun movie -- comes amid nationwide "No Kings" gatherings in the U.S. and around the world protesting the twice-impeached politician's policies. The video appeared to be Trump's response to the protests, as it depicts him wearing a crown while flying the plane that unleashes piles of feces onto the heads of AI-generated protestors holding up signs on the streets below. Trump's continued use of such AI videos featuring artists' music without their permission has consistently irritated musicians, and earlier in October Blue Öyster Cult distanced themselves from the president after "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" was used in an AI clip that mocked Democrats. The Trump administration has appeared to double down on their bomber video, with a White House rep responding to Loggins' complaint with a Top Gun meme: a picture of stars Tom Cruise and Anthony Edwards on the tarmac with the movie's superimposed catchphrase "I Feel the Need For Speed." - Billboard, 10/20/25...... Rush has announced that German drummer Anika Nilles will be backing original members Geddy Lee (bass/vocals) and Alex Lifeson (guitar) on the band's upcoming 50th anniversary tour which is set to kick off on June 7, 2026, in Los Angeles. Also, on Oct. 20 Lee and Lifeson announced that they have added 17 new shows in Philadelphia, Boston, Montreal, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Edmonton, Seattle and Vancouver to the outing on which they will pay tribute to late drummer/lyricist Neil Peart. Following the previously announced kick off on June 7 with the first of four sold out shows at the Kia Forum, the band will hit Mexico City, Fort Worth, Texas, Chicago, New York and Toronto for multiple nights before hitting Philly on Aug. 21 for the first of the newly revealed shows. The tour will then move on to Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Aug. 26, the Bell Centre in Montreal on Sept. 2 and TD Garden in Boston on Sept. 12. Fans are encouraged to sign up for a Rush artist pre-sale for the new shows at livemu.sc/rush by 11:59 p.m. ET on Oct. 23; no code is needed, with access tied to the user's account. The artist pre-sale begins on Oct. 27 at 12 p.m. local time in the U.S. and Canada. A general on-sale will begin at 12 p.m. local time at www.rush.com on Oct. 31 in the U.S. and Canada. German drummer/composer Anika Nilles has performed with Jeff Beck and released four solo albums. - Billboard, 10/20/25...... Oscar-winning filmmaker Cameron Crowe has recalled an interview he had with David Bowie in a new memoir called The Uncool. Crowe, who began his career as a journalist with Rolling Stone (with his experiences documented in 2000 film Almost Famous), spent 18 months on the road with Bowie in the 1970s, and in his new book he recounts the time he revisited the interviews with Bowie decades later. "He didn't want to go back there," Crowe told The Independent. "I would read his quotes back to him. Like, 'you said Patti Smith and Kraftwerk would be all that's remembered from this time', but he wouldn't bite. He kept batting it all back to me, and eventually just said, 'Cameron, those were the insane ramblings of a young man addicted to amphetamines'." Crowe reiterated: "He just didn't want to go back there. He was in love with his wife, having a beautiful life living in Soho." Crowe was then asked whether he was sad that Bowie couldn't recall a lot of their time together, reflecting: "You know what, I spent a lot of time thinking about it. I think he remembered it all. He just didn't want to remember it with me, but that's OK." Meanwhile, the director is set to helm a new Joni Mitchell biopic, and teased in his latest interview that it is "a movie about somebody worth making a movie about, and something that really has my voice in it." The film, which is rumoured to star Anya Taylor-Joy and Meryl Streep as the younger and older versions of the music icon, was expected to be released this Christmas, though will miss that deadline. Crowe has described the project as "Joni's life... through her prism. It's the characters who impacted her life that you know and a lot that you don't know. And the music is so cinematic." - NME, 10/20/25...... In related news, Debbie Harry has revealed who she'd like to play her in a potential Blondie biopic. If it were somebody like Florence Pugh, I would be in heaven... I just think she's a great actor and she could do anything," Harry told the London Times. In 2014, Harry said she supported the idea of a Blondie biopic, and that a film would help people have a "finer appreciation" of the iconic New Wave group. At the time, she said: "It's difficult. You can only really skim the surface. If it's good entertainment, honest, well-acted and directed? Maybe," she replied when asked about her thoughts on the matter. "I think many people could be informed and have a finer appreciation of the person or era." Harry released her book Face It: A Memoir in 2019, charting her rise in the downtown New York City scene of the 1970s to become a global superstar, as well as how she overcame heroin addiction, bankruptcy and Blondie breaking up. A biopic could be based on any of the Blondie members' memoirs, with Chris Stein sharing his Under A Rock in 2024, and Harry's Face It coming out in 2019. - NME, 10/20/25...... Ozzy Osbourne's daughter Kelly Osbourne has thanked fans in Ozzy's hometown of Birmingham, UK for their support while accepting a prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of the metal pioneer at the Birmingham Awards, and later reflected on what the city meant to him. "Last night I had the honor of accepting my father's life time achievement award on his behalf at the @birminghamawards," she later wrote in an Instagram post," Kelly posted on Instagram. "I can't thank everyone enough for their love and support. I know that my dad was shining down on us from heaven with pride because being a #Brummy meant more to him than anything," she continued. "He loved the city and he loved the people. This honor would have meant the world to him. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. #birminghamforever." The award comes in the wake of his passing in July, aged 76, just 17 days after he played one last show as the frontman of the metal band at the "Back To The Beginning" concert in Birmingham. It was Osbourne's first full gig since 2018, having undergone multiple surgeries in the following years. He also experienced other health problems, including Parkinson's disease. - NME, 10/19/25...... The upcoming Sundance film festival in Utah will feature multiple tributes to its late co-founder Robert Redford including a screening of his first independent movie, organizers announced on Oct. 22. Hollywood legend Redford, who starred in hits like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid before becoming an Oscar-winning director, died in September at the age of 89. His passing caused an outpouring of grief from the US filmmaking community -- many of whose leading lights got their start at the indie movie festival he created, including Quentin Tarantino and Steven Soderbergh. "Robert Redford's dedication to the power of storytelling shaped independent cinema," said a festival statement. "In honor of his memory, a commemorative screening of Downhill Racer (released in 1969) will be presented, his first independent film and a passion project that was his catalyst for the creation of Sundance Institute and the Sundance Film Festival," it said. Starring Redford as an obsessive skier competing in the Winter Olympics, Downhill Racer was described by late esteemed film critic Roger Ebert as "the best movie ever made about sports -- without really being about sports at all." In his first significant venture behind the camera, Redford pitched and developed the film, though he did not receive a formal producer credit. Multiple other celebratory events for Redford will be held throughout the festival, which starts Jan. 22. It will be the final Sundance held in Utah, before the festival -- having outgrown its base in the ski resort of Park City -- moves to Boulder in neighboring Colorado. The festival's lineup of new feature film and documentary premieres will be announced in the coming weeks, with tickets on sale from Oct. 22. - AFP, 10/22/25...... While chances of a Fleetwood Mac reunion appear to be improving, it's just the opposite for a potential Pink Floyd reunion, with David Gilmour recently doubling down on an interview in 2024 in which he said -- referring to his former bandmate Roger Waters -- he would rather "steer clear of people who actively support genocidal and autocratic dictators like Putin and Maduro." In a new interview with The Telegraph, Gilmour was asked what it would take for him to join forces with Waters again. "Nothing," he replied. "There is no possible way that I would do that." Going into further detail in the 2024 interview, Gilmour explained: "Nothing would make me share a stage with someone who thinks such treatment of women and the LGBT community is OK. On the other hand, I'd love to be back on stage with [Pink Floyd keyboardist] Rick Wright, who was one of the gentlest and most musically gifted people I've ever known." Gilmour's wife Olly Samson has also been vocally outspoken against Waters' politics, accusing him in 2023 of being "anti-Semitic to [his] rotten core" and "a Putin apologist and a lying, thieving, hypocritical, tax-avoiding, lip-synching, misogynistic, sick-with-envy, megalomaniac". Gilmour re-shared Samson's post, adding that "every word [is] demonstrably true. "Waters himself issued a statement in response, in which he described Samson's comments as "incendiary and wildly inaccurate," adding that he "refutes [them] entirely." He also said that he was "taking advice as to his position" regarding the claims. Gilmour has also said he finds it "wearisome" to have to talk about Waters. "Do you know what decade of my life I was in when Roger left our pop group? My thirties. I am now 78. Where's the relevance?" he told Britain's Mojo magazine in 2024. In a Rolling Stone interview, however, he also stated that "one day there are things I will talk about." - NME, 10/19/25.

The Bob Dylan "Rough and Rowdy Ways" tour which has been in progress for four years has released 1,500 additional tickets for the Coventry, UK show on Nov. 13 due to increased capacity at the city's Building Society Arena. The legendary singer-songwriter is due to kick off a European leg of the tour on Nov. 7 in Brighton, followed by three shows in Swansea (Nov. 9, 10, 11), Coventry (Nov. 13), Leeds (14/11), Glasgow (16, 17/11), Belfast (19, 20/11), and Killarney (23, 24/11) before wrapping in Dublin on Nov. 25. Dylan's most recent leg of the tour ran across North America in March and April and saw him dipping into his back catalogue -- including the first performance of '"The Times They Are A-Changin'" -- in 15 years. He recently announced the release of Bootleg Series Vol. 18: Through The Open Window, 1956-1963, which will drop Oct. 31 via Columbia/Legacy Recordings. - New Musical Express, 10/16/25...... The Eagles will soar higher in 2026 by adding eight additional dates to their long-running residency at The Sphere in Las Vegas. The new dates -- Jan. 23-24, Jan. 30-31, Feb. 20-21, and Feb. 27-28 -- will make their 52-date residency the longest-running one of any band at the innovative venue so far, breaking out of a tie with Dead & Company's 48 shows. The Don Henley-led band launched its Sphere stint in Sept. 2024, and after an initial spate of dates spanning five months, have rolled out extensions a handful of concerts at a time, most recently adding eight October and November dates last April. Presale registration for the shows is available now through the Eagles.com website. Among the other acts performing at the Sphere since its Sept. 2023 debut are U2, Phish, Anyma, Kenny Chesney and Backstreet Boys, and the Zac Brown Band will debut its run in December. - Billboard, 10/13/25...... British actor James Norton, currently appearing in Netflix hit House Of Guinness, is reportedly under consideration to play The Beatles' former manager Brian Epstein in the forthcoming biopics about the band. Epstein met the band in 1961 and became their manager until his death in 1967, aged just 32. Often nicknamed "The Fifth Beatle," he was portrayed in a 2024 biopic called Midas Man by fellow British actor Jacob Fortune-Lloyd. In an apparent acknowledgement of the news, Norton shared a screenshot of the Deadline article on his Instagram account with the caption "Brian d." Earlier in 2025, it was revealed that the legendary band will be portrayed by Harris Dickinson, Paul Mescal, Barry Keoghan and Joseph Quinn, and on Oct. 9, it was revealed Soairse Ronan will be playing Linda McCartney. Beatles -- A Four-Film Cinematic Event is scheduled to be released in Apr. 2028. - NME, 10/15/25...... Elsewhere on the Fab Four front, a five-string banjo once played by John Lennon has been given a new home at The Salvation Army's iconic Strawberry Field in Liverpool, as part of a celebration of the late Beatles' 85th birthday on Oct. 9. Originally owned and played by John's bandmate Rod Davis in The Quarrymen -- the band that would later evolve into The Beatles -- the instrument is now on display at the attraction, giving Beatles fans the chance to delve deeper into the band's rich heritage. The banjo, which is kindly on loan from collector Ashley Davie, will go on display alongside the world-renowned collection of artefacts on display at Strawberry Field, including the famous "Imagine" piano, on which John composed one of the greatest peace anthems of the 20th century. The banjo was played by Rod at all The Quarrymen's early gigs, including the historic Woolton Village Fete on 6 July 1957 -- the day John first met Paul McCartney. A new incarnation The Quarrymen played performed an exclusive live performance on Oct. 9 to celebrate Lennon's birthday, part of a string of activities which included a first look at a brand-new photomosaic wall, featuring 1,300 images submitted by Beatles fans, Quarrymen members and Strawberry Field supporters from across the world. "It's an incredible honour to be here and unveil this special banjo at Strawberry Field, a place held dearly by John and where he spent much time during his childhood," said Rod Davis. "Performing here on what would have been his 85th birthday was a poignant way to mark the occasion and to remember his enduring legacy." Based in Woolton, Liverpool, Strawberry Field is an award-winning visitor attraction located at the iconic site immortalised by Lennon in The Beatles' hit, "Strawberry Fields Forever." The attraction, which is owned by The Salvation Army, tells the story of John's childhood, offering visitors an immersive experience that includes the original red gates of Strawberry Field, and the magical gardens where John played, climbed trees and dreamed as a child. As part of the schedule to mark Lennon's birthday, a group of lucky Beatles fans were also taken on an exclusive tour beyond Strawberry Field itself to the pivotal places of Lennon's childhood, from The Salvation Army site that inspired his iconic song to the very streets, schools and classrooms where his story began. Visitors are being invited to mark John's birthday by leaving their own messages of peace, which will be displayed on the original Strawberry Field gates. - Music-News.com, 10/11/25...... Actor/musician Johnny Depp joined Patti Smith on stage on Oct. 12 during a London concert celebrating the 50th anniversary of Smith's seminal album Horses. Depp joined Smith during the first of two consecutive nights at the London Palladium, coming out during the encore. Smith introduced her entire band to the audience and then added: "And Johnny? And Johnny Depp? The original Johnny." It was a reference to the line, "the boy looked at Johnny" from her Horses track "Land/Horses." Depp played guitar on the album track "People Have the Power," with Smith's daughter Jesse on keyboards. Smith is currently celebrating her iconic 1975 record with her band, including two members of the original group, Lenny Kaye and Jay Dee Daugherty, along with keyboardist/bassist Tony Shanahan, who has been in the line-up for 30 years. She will play further "Horses"' tour dates in Brussels, Oslo, and Paris through Oct. 21, then kick off a U.S. leg in Seattle on Nov. 10. Other stops included Oakland, Calif., San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City, Boston, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia through Nov. 29. Horses was included in the Library of Congress in the National Recording Registry, and inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 2021. A deluxe 50th anniversary edition of Horses dropped on Oct. 10. - NME, 10/14/25...... English singer/songwriter Sam Fender has released a new track featuring Elton John called "Talk To You." The heartwarming tune, which has become a fan favourite in Fender's live shows, was recorded in the sessions for Fender's album People Watching, which recently won the prestigious Mercury Prize. In a joint statement about the song, Sam said: "Talk To You was written during the People Watching sessions at British Grove. It's a song about the end of a long relationship - about the regret, the mistakes and the lessons that come with it. It's that feeling of losing your best friend and coming to terms with that." He continued: "I was playing around with the riff and thought what I need is a really good pianist and then hmmm, I wonder who I can call? And of course, who better than Elton John." Sir Elton, 78, commented: "Sam was writing and recording in a studio in West London and called to say he'd written a song with a piano riff that he thought would sound great with me playing it. I couldn't resist, and it was so much fun playing it for him. I truly love Sam. He's been a friend for many, many years and it's incredible to see him grow into being a truly world class artist." "Talk To You" is set to feature on a deluxe expanded edition of People Watching, which will go on sale Dec. 5 with eight additional tracks. - Music-News.com, 10/17/25...... Carlos Santana is pushing back on viral rumors that he's opposed to his fellow Latino performer Bad Bunny being booked for the upcoming Super Bowl Halftime Show next February. Since Bad Bunny was announced as the halftime headliner, viral rumours -- partially made through AI -- have circulated the internet claiming that Mexican-American guitarist Santana pushed back against the idea of the Puerto Rican rapper playing the coveted slot. Meanwhile, other posts claimed that Santana had even petitioned to replace the "Perfumito Nuevo" rapper at the sporting event. Now, Santana and his manager have provided statements to Billboard debunking those claims. "AI has accelerated the spread of misinformation, making it harder for the truth to break through the noise. Don't rely on random or unverified posts -- even well-meaning outlets can get misled," Santana's manager wrote. Santana said in his own statement: "I congratulate and celebrate Bad Bunny's success and his position right now with the world and with the Super Bowl. I feel total oneness with what he's doing because we are here to utilize art to complement and bring the world closer to harmony and oneness." The Grammy-winner continued: "However, we're living in a time of fear, division, separation, superiority and inferiority. Fear is the flavour right now. Fear is what motivates ignorant people to put words in my mouth -- saying that I didn't want Bad Bunny to be represented at the Super Bowl. I never said that, nor would I ever. Just to be clear, my heart is in total harmony with Bad Bunny, and I celebrate his success, his triumph and his phenomenal achievement. Anything other than that is coming from people's ignorance. We're living in a time when hostile forces love to create conflict, separation and division, because the hostile forces don't like unity, harmony, oneness and joy. They want people to be miserable and to spend too much time in their minds. I spend a lot of time in my heart, and in my heart I celebrate Bad Bunny. I can't stop playing his song 'Monaco' -- there's something really magical about it." Bad Bunny's Super Bowl slot has received a wave of criticism from the ring-wing community, who believe that the rapper -- despite hailing from Puerto Rico, a territory of the U.S. -- should not be performing at the sporting event. The right-wing backlash to the news was almost immediate, with US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem criticizing the NFL for choosing him as their halftime performer, despite the largely Spanish-performing artist being a US citizen. Pres. Donald Trump's administration has also stirred controversy by confirming that ICE agents will be present at the Super Bowl to apprehend any illegal immigrants, and the President himself has branded Halftime Show slot "crazy" and says he's "never heard of him." - NME, 10/14/25...... The BBC Factual arm of the BBC has ordered five new history commissions, among them a program charting the abuse allegations against Michael Jackson. With a working title of Legacy: Michael Jackson, the three part documentary series will explore Jackson's rise to fame, as well as the "abuse allegations and enduring legacy of one of the most successful pop stars of all time," per an announcement from the BBC. "With access to rare intimate archive, and revelatory interviews with those closest to him, this is the most fully rounded and authoritative portrait of Jackson yet produced," it continued. "A deeply researched study of a trailblazing musical genius, whose personal life remains a complex enigma." The doc will also examine the stories behind Jackson's biggest hits, as well as his innovative videos and live performances, touching on how his estate is still able to generate billions of dollars from his work. The comprehensive look at his life and legacy will begin with his early Jackson 5 years in the racially segregated landscape of '60s America, to the controversies that dogged him in his final years. - NME, 10/13/25...... The family of the late Ozzy Osbourne visited a huge Halloween pumpkin mural of Ozzy Osbourne at a farm in Hampshire, UK on Oct. 11. Sharon Osbourne, along with children Jack and Kelly Osbourne visited the Ozzy "pumpkin pyramid" at Sunnyfields Farm in Totton, Hampshire, where each year a mural is built from pumpkins, the subject of which is decided by public vote. This year, the annual poll saw 70% of the public vote for an Ozzy-themed mural in the wake of his passing in July, aged 76, just 17 days after the iconic Black Sabbath frontman played one last show as the frontman of the metal band at the "Back To The Beginning" concert in Birmingham. It was Osbourne's first full gig since 2018, having undergone multiple surgeries in the following years. He also experienced other health problems, including Parkinson's disease. On display since Oct. 4, Sunnyfields' Ozzy mural took 16 people four-and-a-half hours to create and will run through Halloween on Oct. 31. A video of the mural being created, and the Osbournes' visiting, can be viewed on YouTube. More than 73,000 people are expected to view the mural throughout October. Previous mural designs include ones based on the films Beetlejuice, Paddington and The Nightmare Before Christmas, the latter of which won a Guinness World Record for the largest cucurbit mural. - NME, 10/13/25...... The family of recently deceased Oscar-winning actress Diane Keaton has revealed the cause of her death on Oct. 11 at age 79 was due to pneumonia. "The Keaton family are very grateful for the extraordinary messages of love and support they have received these past few days on behalf of their beloved Diane, who passed away from pneumonia on October 11," the family said in a statement to People magazine. Her family -- which includes 25-year-old son, Duke, and 29-year-old daughter, Dexter -- went on to list the causes that were close to the Annie Hall star's heart and asked her fans to donate to charity as a tribute to her."She loved her animals and she was steadfast in her support of the unhoused community, so any donations in her memory to a local food bank or an animal shelter would be a wonderful and much appreciated tribute to her," the message concluded. People, the first outlet to report Keaton's death, spoke to a friend who said the actor's health "declined very suddenly" in recent months. She declined very suddenly, which was heartbreaking for everyone who loved her," the confidante told the outlet. "It was so unexpected, especially for someone with such strength and spirit." One of Keaton's close friends told TMZ.com that Keaton had been ill for a while and that her death was "not a shock." The source added that, "In her final months, she was surrounded only by her closest family, who chose to keep things very private. Even longtime friends weren't fully aware of what was happening." - AP, 10/16/25...... 10cc's Graham Gouldman says American rapper Doja Cat's sampling of 10cc's 1975 chart-topping hit "I'm Not in Love" has brought the veteran pop rock band's music to "a different audience." "I'm Not In Love " was was revived on Doja Cat's 2023 track "Shutco" and Gouldman has quipped that he is "down with the kids" after the unlikely crossover with the 29-year-old performer. "Ah, you see, I'm down with the kids, man! [Laughs] I don't mind these things," Gouldman recently told New Musica Express. "It's great if it works artistically, and it also helps to bring the music of 10cc to a different audience that wouldn't have normally bothered with it." "I'm Not In Love" was recently covered by Pretenders bandleader Chrissie Hynde and The Killers frontman Brandon Flowers on her Duets album, but Graham was none the wiser in the same interview. He reacted: "Really?! Our publishers never tell us anything! That's brilliant. I liked The Pretenders' version; I just love Chrissie Hynde's voice." - Music-News.com, 10/14/25...... Co-founding KISS guitarist Ace Frehley died on Oct. 16 "peacefully surrounded by family in Morristown, New Jersey, following a recent fall at his home," according to a statement shared by his family. He was 74. "We are completely devastated and heartbroken," the family wrote in the statement. "In his last moments, we were fortunate enough to have been able to surround him with loving, caring, peaceful words, thoughts, prayers and intentions as he left this earth. We cherish all of his finest memories, his laughter, and celebrate his strengths and kindness that he bestowed upon others. The magnitude of his passing is of epic proportions, and beyond comprehension. Reflecting on all of his incredible life achievements, Ace's memory will continue to live on forever!" Earlier on Oct. 16, TMZ.com reported that Frehley was on life support after suffering a brain bleed when he fell at home weeks ago. The musician had canceled his performance at the Antelope Valley Fair in Lancaster, Calif., after suffering what was then described as a "minor fall resulting in a trip to the hospital." "He is fine, but against his wishes, his doctor insists that he refrain from travel at this time," a statement read on his Instagram at the time. Less than two weeks later, Frehley's team announced on social media that he would be canceling all of his remaining appearances in 2025 "due to some ongoing medical issues." Born Paul Daniel Frehley in New York City in 1951, Frehley co-founded KISS in 1973 with singer/guitarist Paul Stanley, bassist/singer Gene Simmons and drummer Peter Criss. Among the songs Ace helped write for KISS were classics like "I Was Made For Lovin' You," "Rock And Roll All Nite," "Detroit Rock City," "Love Gun" and more, and he designed the group's iconic logo. The members' identities were famously kept secret until a decade after their debut, by which Frehley had left the band to pursue a solo career, coupled with his struggles with substance abuse and rising tension within the band about their direction. In the years following his exit from KISS, Frehley formed a new band, Frehley's Comet, which released two albums but failed to achieve commercial success. He reverted to using his own name for this 1989 album Trouble Walkin',, which saw former bandmate Criss provide backing vocals. Frehley would rejoin KISS for their reunion in 1996 and stayed with them until 2002. He did not join them for their farewell world tour in 2022. Frehley and Simmons had a notably rocky relationship, with Simmons in 2019 claiming that Frehley was fired from the band for his substance abuse, while Ace argued that he was 12 years sober by then and quit "of my own free will, because you and Paul [Stanley] are control freaks, untrustworthy and were too difficult to work with." Earlier in October, Frehley cancelled his remaining solo dates for 2025 due to "some ongoing medical issues," which has since been confirmed as the fall he suffered. Frehley's former bandmates Simmons and Stanley are among a slew of fellow musicians and friends that have paid tribute to the iconic rocker, also known as "Spaceman." "Our hearts are broken. Ace has passed on. No one can touch Ace's legacy. I know he loved the fans. He told me many times. Sadder still, Ace didn't live long enough to be honored at the Kennedy Ctr Honors event in Dec. Ace was the eternal rock soldier. Long may his legacy live on!," Simmons posted to X on Oct. 16. Stanley shared his "favorite photo" with his late ex-bandmate, and fondly recounted their first encounter. "I remember 1974 being in my room at the Hyatt on Sunset in LA and I heard someone playing deep and fiery guitar in the room next door," he writes. "I thought "Boy, I wish THAT guy was in the band!" I looked over the balcony He was. It was Ace. This is my favorite photo of us," he wrote on X. Alice Cooper posted on Instagram that "Ace was an absolute Guitar hero to so many people. I did more tours with him than anybody else, as far as opening for us, for quite a long time, so we became quite good friends. And you know, he always brought it every night. He did it every night. And it's just hard to see somebody like that go. We know that right now that the KISS fans are certainly in mourning and certainly his family and certainly everybody that knew him. Ace was an ACE." Other rock and music icons paying tribute include Pearl Jam, Tom Morello, Nile Rodgers, Steve Vai and Tool. KISS will be honored at the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors, taping Dec. 7 and airing Dec. 23 on CBS. Frehley will be just the third person to receive the honor posthumously. - Billboard/NME, 10/17/25.